General Information | Public Administration-MPA | Criminal Justice-MCJ | PhD | Certificates

Graduate School of Public Affairs

Kathleen M. Beatty, Dean
Room 1025 - Columbine Hall Telephone: (719) 262-4182
Fax: (719) 262-4183

Established in 1972, the Graduate School of Public Affairs (GSPA) provides graduate level, professional training for managers and policy-makers in public, nonprofit, and criminal justice organizations. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, the School offers the Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) and the Master of Criminal Justice (M.C.J.) degrees. While all coursework for the M.C.J. degree may be completed on the Colorado Springs campus, the degree is awarded through the University of Colorado at Denver. For the benefit of many public affairs professionals, GSPA is regionalizing the program. This revolutionary model calls for professors ó instead of students ó to commute between campuses, making a far wider range of coursework accessible to students and practitioners. GSPA also offers students the opportunity to pursue a more limited course of study, earning Certificates in Public Management, Nonprofit Management, or Criminal Justice.
Inquiries about application procedures and degree requirements should be directed as follows:

Graduate School of Public Affairs University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
P. O. Box 7150
Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7150

(719) 262-4182 OR
(800) 990-8227 ext. 4182

Mission

The mission of the Graduate School of Public Affairs is to improve the quality of public service in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West. GSPA offers an excellent program of professional education and training that prepares public and nonprofit managers for leadership in a rapidly changing environment. Resident GSPA faculty have earned doctorates in their fields of specialization and are nationally recognized scholars. They conduct research of interest to scholars and practitioners in the field, as well as research on issues of concern in Southern Colorado. GSPA also invites practitioners who are recognized leaders in their area of expertise to teach selected courses in GSPAís degree programs.
GSPA offers a select group of students opportunities to enhance their potential for executive leadership and success in public service careers. The curriculum reflects the philosophy that management in public and nonprofit organizations presents unique challenges and opportunities because of our obligation to serve the public interest. All students take a common core of courses, then take electives focusing on public, nonprofit, or criminal justice management. Students graduate with a sophisticated understanding of the public and nonprofit sectors and their interdependence, and of contemporary principles of organizational development and management.
During their course of study, students learn to perform research, to utilize new technological resources, to manage organizational finances, and to fully utilize and manage human resources. Emphasis is placed on the theoretical foundations of public service and the special ethical considerations of work in the public and nonprofit sectors. Elective courses address specific student interests.
The Graduate School of Public Affairs is a place where the University meets and exchanges ideas and information with the local, state, and national communities. GSPA also sponsors conferences, training programs, and other opportunities for lifelong learning. These activities help to create a community of public servants, and they ensure that the University and the community share their rich resources.

Faculty

Dean and Professor: Kathleen Beatty; Associate Dean: Fred Rainguet; Professors: Donald Klingner and Mark McConkie; Instructor: Michael McLeod.

Academic Policies

Transfer of Credit

Up to nine semester hours of appropriate graduate work from an accredited college or university may be credited toward the Master of Public Administration or Master of Criminal Justice degree. Courses to be transferred should have been taken within five years of the request for transfer of credit. All transfer work must be approved in writing by the dean.

Standards of Performance

To be in good standing, students must have an overall grade point average of not less than a 3.0 in all coursework. The academic performance of each student will be reviewed at the end of each semester. A student who has a grade point average less than 3.0 will, at the dean's discretion, be placed on probation or suspended from the program. Nondegree students who do not maintain a 3.0 grade point average may not be allowed to enroll in any additional GSPA courses. Any student receiving a grade of F in any course is automatically placed on probation.
After a student has been placed on probation, he or she has a maximum of two semesters (fall and spring) to raise his or her grade point average to 3.0. Courses taken to raise the cumulative grade point average must be applicable to the degree and must be taken in the two semesters (fall and spring) immediately following the semester in which the cumulative grade point average fell below 3.0. Failure to raise the cumulative grade point average to 3.0 in the time period outlined will result in immediate suspension from the program.

Time Limit

Master's degree students must complete all coursework and degree requirements within six years of registration in their first course. Exceptions must be approved in writing by the dean.

Rocky Mountain M.P.A. (The Online M.P.A.)

The Rocky Mountain M.P.A. provides a unique opportunity for students with complicated and busy schedules, or those who live at a distance from the University, to obtain a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) degree. Online courses are web-based versions of the same classes offered on campus, and they usually follow the regular semester schedule. Consult the Schedule of Courses each semester for more information.